Fabricated metal panel



Feb. 28, 1939. L.. s. LAcHMAN n ,FABRICATED METAL PANEL 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 15, 193'? Illllnvlr INVENTOR aumce s Lac/unal? BY ATTORNEYS,

Feb. 28, 1939. l.. s.. I AHMAN v2,148,698

' FABRICATED METALI PANEL V Filed April 13, 1937 C5 Sheets-Sheety 2 lNvENT'voR uns/icc 5 Lac/unan PTTO EY8.

Feb. 2s, 1939.

l.. s. L AcHMAN FABRICATED METAL PANEL Filed Apil 15, 1937 s shams-sheer s INVENTOR aar-una S dah/mn ATTO NEY 4Patented feb. 28,-14939 '.FABRICATED Iurence S. Lachman,

. Application April 1s,

6 Claims.

This invention 1relates to improvements i n y:fabricated metal -panels suitable vfor-use as ooring, walls and partitions or foundations therefor.

One-of the objects of' this invention is to provide a light, strong, lfabricated metal panel composed of a pair of suitably formed metal sheets or meshes interlocked with each other by 4means of reinforcing members.

The many specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the 4following description in connection with the illustrations in the drawings employed for purposes of explanation.

This invention resides'substantially in the combination,-construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in greater detail in the following specification.

In the accompanyingdrawings, v

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a panel in accordance with -this invention;

Figure 2 is a. cross-sectional view'taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing metal sheets aligned for movement into interengaging positionand indicating the relative position of the interlockingvmembers;

Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure 2 of modied forms of construction;

Figure 6 is a top plan view .o a portion of another form of panel in accordance with this invention;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 'I--I of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the 'parts disconnected.

The construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive', results from the use of two sheets of reticulatedmetal such as that produced by the well known expanded metal process. By means of this process a solid sheet or strip of material is slit and expanded in such a way as to form diamond-shaped openings, as is clear from the drawings. Thse expanded metal sheets are used to a limited extent today in walls and partitions as Aa foundation therefor, but this use is limited by reason of the fact that the expande sheets are not very strong. I

In accordance with this invention, a pair of sheets of expanded metal, as indicated at I and 2, are formed into a corrugated or serpentine configuration, as is clear from Figure 3, and then interleaved with each4 other, as indicated in the drawings, to form a seriesof diamond-shaped openings 3 and 4. Into these openings are forced -strips or bars 5 and 6 of suitable metal, such as high carbon steel, for example, which by reason v the formed/ PATENT orf-ICEv METAL PANEL Fares: mus, Long mand,

.1931, serial No. 136,550

(ci. 'lss-.34)

, of the multitude of points of frictional engagement between the metal fabric and strips and the natural springiness of the material locks the bars firmlyy in place. The planes of the bars 6 lie at right angles to the-planes of the bars 5 and it is apparent that by relatively proportioning thewidths of the bars and the angles of the corrugations of the sheets that the bars may be veryiirmly locked in place by the resulting frictional engagement between them and the fabric sheets.

The arrangement of Figure 4 in so far as the expanded metal sheets I and 2 are 'conoernedis the same as that of the previous arrangement. In this case, however, the locking bars are in the form of angle bars, as indicated at 1, which are preferably placed into the openings 3 so as to face in opposite directions, as is clear from Figure 4. In this case it will be seen that the interlocking bars occur at every other opening and vhave been proportioned in size yand. shape so that the openings 3, 4, are in this case sub-v stantially square as distinguished from the diamond shapes of the previous construction. This also results from the fact, as will be apparent, that the fabric sheets I and 2 are more deeply crimped so that adjacent portions thereof meet at right angles rather than at an obtuse angle, as inthe case of the previous construction. It is apparent that if thetchannels 1 are made larger that the openings 3v will become larger -and undersome conditions equal to or even greater than the size of the openings 4.

l In the arrangement of Figure 5, the fabric sheets I and 2 are the same as those, of Figure 4 and in this case the interlocking bars 8 are in the form of round rods, preferably 'of hardened steel, which fit into the alternate openings 3. In this case it will be seen that these openings are much smaller than the openings 4 be 40 cause of the smaller diameter of the interlockl ing bars. 4 The construction illustrated has been found to be exceedingly strong, and, with the proper gauges of sheet metal, panels suiiiciently strong to form oorings are produced. vFor example, these panels may be employed as flooring for apowcr plant, boiler house,.engine room of a ship, and the like. In lightersizes and gauges they may be used in walls and partitions, either alone or as a base for the usual covering materials. The nature of the construction in all cases is such that the reinforcing bars are frictionally held in place .without the necessity of welding, as is common in similar structures known here- 'tofora A very important feature ot this invendisclosed high carbon and hardened steels may be used since welding is not necessary. If, -as f is t common case today, the bars are welded in pllce, only low carbon steels can be used,

which'are not strong enough for many purposes as when it is desired `to use such panels for flooring. Thus, by providing the particular relationship of parts wherein the reinforcing and inl pair of expanded metal sheets, each sheet, being terlocking bars are frictionally held in place, thereby eliminating the necessity for Welding, stronger bars may be used. -The three forms illustrate but some Aoi the, possible variation in details o! construction without departure from the true nate of the invention.

In the arrangementA of Figures 6 to 8, inclusive, the sheets I I and I2 corresponding to the expanded metal fabrics previously described .are imperi'Orate. Each sheet is corrugated or formed up to provide a series of oppositely facing channels. The cross-sectional size of these channels may be varied although in the example given the alternate channels are much smaller than the` others. At the base of the alternate channels the material' is cutiat, spaced points and pressed ,or formed, as indicated at Maand A312, on sheet -I I, and Maand IIb on sheet I2, to form chan-1 these` keyways to lock the sheets together, the.

. rods are frictionallyheld in place, and welding is not required. This .provides an exceedingly strong structure which is particularly adapted for heavy iiooring purposes where a perforated flooring would not be desirable TheI variability in speciilc detail of this lnvennen is further umstradbwne custrub` ftion of Figures to 8, inclusiveban'd I, therefore,

again emphasize my desire to be'llniited only as required by the claims granted me.

What I claim is:

1. A\ metal panel as described, -comprising a pair of expanded metal sheets, each sheet being corrugated and said sheets being interleaved to form a serie's of transverse passages, and bars -irictionally held in said'passages. s

2. A metal panel as described, comprising a corrugated and said sheets beingl interleaved to form a series of transverse passages, and bars iriotionally held in 'said passages, said bars being angle bars.

3. A metal'panel as described, comprising a pair of expanded metal sheets, each sheet being corrugated and said' sheets being interleaved corrugated and said sheets being interleaved to term a series 'of transverse passages-and bars frictlonally held insaid passages, said bars being polygonal .in cross-section.

5. Ametal panel as described,comprising a lpair. of reticulated metal sheets, said sheets being bent to form oppositely facing channels and interleaved with each other to provide a series oi continuous transversepassages, and rods mountedin said passages.l

A metal panel comprising a pair of reticulated 4. metal sheets having diamond-shaped openings,

said sheetsbeing corrugated to provide parallel lchannels alternately facing in opposite directions and said sheets beingsuperimposed on eachk other so as to intersect eachv other to form "passageways, and rods frictionally held in said passageways. LAURENCE S. LACHMAN. 

